Heal Me Home
by VictoriaMimiValery
Summary: One of the angels is hospitalized after an attack, leaving the other two confused and helpless. They try to help their friend recover and whilst doing so, manage to understand each other and themselves better. Andrew/ Monica shipper story *I do not own tbaa*
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It was eerily quiet for a hospital, Andrew only saw a few staff members walking to a new destination before leaving the hallway completely abandoned. Strong fluorescent lights glistened on the beige linoleum floor that took every step the angel made and turned it into an echo for the empty hall. Andrew was beginning to second guess himself, thinking he must have heard his directions incorrectly when he finally saw her. Sitting with rigid posture in an uncomfortable blue plastic chair was Tess, her hands were mindlessly fidgeting with a small object. For as loud as he felt walking through the hospital, it seemed as if Tess could not hear him. It wasn't until he reached her side that he knew something was terribly wrong, her face was the image of distraught. She was still blind to his presence, drowning in her own thoughts. Andrew did not want to scare her, whatever it was that caused her current state was enough fright for one night. He decided the best way to snap her out of herself was through speech, not touch.

"Tess?"

His voice was soft but, he could not hide the worry or questioning in his tone. Her name seemed to ring like a bell in her ear and she finally lifted her eyes to Andrew. When their eyes met, Tess stifled a sob.

"Oh, Andrew!"

Her cry and instant embrace startled him. Desperately she clung to him, tears falling onto his shoulder. He held onto her in silence, understanding that she needed physical support before she would be able to verbally express herself. He rubbed her back as her body expelled sob after sob. With each moment that passed, Andrew could feel anxiety gripping his heart. Never had he seen Tess so upset, it was unsettling to see his strong and brave mentor rendered speechless by tears. Questions pestered his mind: Why was he there? Why was Tess so upset? Where was Monica? He tried to suppress the multitude of questions and start off simple. When her sobs subsided and her grip on him loosened, Andrew dared to ask, "What's going on, Tess?"

She looked up at him suddenly, despair flooding her eyes. "The Father didn't tell you?" Andrew shook his head, concern furrowing his brow. Tess pulled away from him, sitting once again in the blue chair, tears streaming down her face. She stared at her open hand, which held two delicate dangling pearl earrings.

"It's my Angelgirl, Andrew."

She only managed that heart wrenching sentence before she closed her hands around the earrings and openly cried. He noticed that she was holding on to Monica's earrings as if they would somehow summon the little angel. Trying to keep a level head, he took the seat beside Tess and put his arm around her.

"Tess, where is Monica?"

He tried not to assume anything. His worst possible nightmare was that she had fallen, chosen a path which he and Tess could not follow but, that was not like Monica. She was a strong angel of light and truth, she could not have fallen. With the worst possible scenario being that she was gone forever, Andrew felt prepared to hear what Tess had to say. He wasn't.

"Here."

He thought he misheard her. If Monica was at the hospital, why was Tess such an emotional mess?

"Here? At the Hospital? Did something happen between the two of you?"

Tess offered no explanation, she just sat and cried while clutching Monica's earrings. Andrew knelt in front of the older angel placing his hands on her shoulders which forced her to look at him.

"Tess, You've got to help me out. I'm in the dark here. Please, give me anything."

Tess took a few deep breaths to compose herself. She looked at Andrew, swallowed, then averted her eyes to the jewelry in her palm.

"You said Monica is here?" He gently probed. She nodded, forcing herself to remain composed. "I don't understand why you're upset. If Monica is here with you then what is the problem?"

"She's not here with me, Andrew. She's a patient. She was brought in a few hours ago, I didn't know where she was until the Father led me here."

Andrew was trying to wrap his head around what exactly Tess was saying. It made no logical sense that Monica was admitted to a hospital let alone that she had been a patient for multiple hours.

"The doctor gave me these when I came to see her. It's all she had when she was brought in and the doctor said I could hold onto them for her." Tess wiped away a few tears. "They almost didn't let me see her, but the Father gave me what I needed. He made that baby legally mine, so I could be with her."

Andrew was now completely confused. "Legally yours?" Tess nodded. "As in, you are legally Monica's mother?" Tess nodded again, rubbing her thumb over one of the pearls.

"Only family is allowed in the ICU." It was a simple statement but it only added to Andrew's infinite questions. He rubbed his hands over his face and exhaled.

"Tess, how can Monica even be in the ICU? She's an angel." He had struck a chord. Tess couldn't hold back her tears any longer.

"I know she is baby but, something happened. She got so scared and now I think she's trapped in human form."

Andrew ached for Monica. He didn't want her to be suffering, especially in a human body which was practically foreign territory. Only something monumentally terrible could have caused this situation and Andrew was beginning to worry whether he was ready to know what had happened.

"How did this happen, Tess?" his voice was timid and sad. He watched Tess close her eyes and steady her breath before beginning a story she still couldn't believe herself.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"We were working on an assignment, a long one. We had been there for six months, trying to get through to John Gaines. He was ruining his life with drugs, both selling and using. He was selling people too, Andrew. Monica…" Tess's voice broke at the name. She closed her eyes for just a moment, thinking of her young mentee lying all alone in her lifeless room. Tess could feel Andrew watching her every movement, his senses heightened because hers were numb. Her heart filled with pride and overwhelming love for the angel of death, his patience and kindness during this crisis was just another example of how brightly his virtues shined. She knew he was hurting, his heart longing to be with Monica, and his head trying to understand this unusual situation. Yet, he did not leave her. He was sitting beside her, gently rubbing her back and watching her with concern. Tess scolded herself for making him wait so long in silence, but was grateful that he was allowing her the time she needed to continue.

"Monica was running a rehabilitation center. They took in anyone in need, call girls, addicts, runaways, and anyone else that needed a warm bed, a meal, medical attention, and safety. In the months we were there, Monica managed to get all his girls off the street." Tess took a deep breath.

"John was furious and blamed Monica for his sudden loss of revenue. He started harassing the center, calling in threats, following people to and from the doors. There were multiple occasions where Monica and he were one on one. She tried to get through to him, but it only made that man angrier."

"Is that when he attacked her?" Andrew tentatively asked. Tess shook her head.

"I was the officer that kept arresting him. First it was for drugs, then for the girls, then he progressed to violence. First, he got into fights, then he was hitting the women. Nobody would press charges though so he always walked free. I even arrested him a few times while he was terrorizing the center. Every time I tried to break through to him, he went further into the darkness. After his last arrest, he stopped harassing the center. We thought he had finally begun to listen, but we were very wrong." Tess turned tear filled eyes to Andrew. She was searching for the strength to continue and hoped she would find it in him. Wordlessly he took her hands in his and just sat there with her. Her hands protecting the earrings, his hands protecting hers. Support seemed to flow from him into her through their contact, it was what she had hoped for.

"John and one of his infamous associates, a man named Peter Stevens grabbed Monica while she was out walking, looking for anyone that needed the rehabilitation center. She struggled, so Peter knocked her out. When she came to, they were at John's house and she was bound to a chair. They ridiculed her, cursed her, threatened her, and the abuse didn't stop there. They began taking their rage out on that little angel." Tess was crying, the images that she had to describe were tearing at her heart. "She was so strong, Andrew." She was looking at him pleadingly, as if needing reassurance about what she was saying.

"I know, Tess. I know." His heart was breaking with every word she spoke. He may not understand why this happened, but Monica being strong while facing even the worst horror did not surprise him. Tess stared into his eyes, knowing his words were not just for her. She reminded herself that the story was almost over, then she could cry all she wanted.

"Well, the Father surrounded her with his love, and she was free of her restraints and healed of all her wounds. Peter collapsed at the sight of her, begging forgiveness. She started to give John his message from God when he attacked her." Andrew was completely flabbergasted. John had not only attacked an angel but, an angel that was relaying a message from God himself. "Something happened that time, Andrew. She got scared. He beat her and beat her. She tried crawling away, and he only beat her more. He hit her head really hard and she started to bleed everywhere. The pain and blood loss caused her to pass out. He thought that he had killed her, so you know what he did? He went into the other room and started watching TV. TV, Andrew! While that baby was lying on the floor battered and bleeding, he went and watched a television program. He hadn't realized that Peter had called 911 while he was beating Monica. The ambulance brought her here and he was arrested for attempted murder." Tess leaned into him worn out, tears openly streamed down her face. She felt the changes in Andrew's body as he surrendered to his heartache. His breath quickened, the tension he had acquired listening to her story, began to force him to collapse into her while it was released by his tears. They held each other and cried. When they began to calm down, Andrew cleared his throat. He was trying to make sure his voice would work properly so that he could ask Tess one more question.

"Where is she?"

"Room 342, baby."

Andrew nodded and pulled himself from the uncomfortable chair. He tried to stretch out his aching back while mentally preparing himself for what he would see when he got to Monica's room.

"Andrew," Tess's voice was soft. He turned to see her worriedly looking at him. "I don't think you'll recognize her." His heart fell into his stomach. How could he not recognize his dearest friend? He knew the answer, but wanted so badly for it to be a lie. Tess was just trying to warn him, he knew that, yet now he had a sense of dread surrounding him. He loved Monica and he wanted to see her, but he couldn't imagine her looking any other way than how he knew her. Andrew wanted to see her dark auburn hair cascading over her shoulders, the corners of her lips drawn up in an endless smile, her creamy skin painted pink with a blush, and those dark sparkling eyes looking at him with love. Hearing that she was unrecognizable meant all of that was stripped from him. His beautiful image of Monica would be torn away from him and replaced by an image of violence. It was overwhelming, but his need to be with her won over his fears and he walked into her room.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

As he set eyes on her body, a nauseating sensation overcame him, which forced him to turn away and face the wall. The small reaction to Monica's appearance immediately summoned immense guilt. Andrew scolded himself for turning away from his best friend. No matter what the state of her physical appearance was, she was still Monica. He turned to look at her again, but again the sight of her battered and broken body made him sick. It wasn't disgust that forced him to look away, but the thought of all the pain she was in. If her outer appearance was this damaged, Andrew couldn't imagine what her delicate human nerves were experiencing. Tess said Monica was trapped in this form which meant her pain was great and she did not have her angelic strength to soften it. Once again, he felt nauseous. He closed his eyes, willing the feeling to fade away. His stomach calmed, and Andrew opened his eyes to study Monica.

Andrew was at the foot of her bed, so he decided to start his analysis there. Her right leg was laying out of the thin blanket that covered her body, propped up at the ankle with a pillow. A plaster cast covered it from foot to knee. He assumed her left leg was fine since it laid naturally under the cotton blanket. His eyes scanned up her body, noting a pillow under her hips and between her legs. Her torso seemed alright, her elevated position giving him a full view from her abdomen up. He noted that her right arm was in a cast, from hand to elbow. Monica's face was almost in focus in his vision, but he forced himself to continue the slow climb up her body. He needed to note every detail of her body before getting lost in her face. Andrew concentrated on looking at her left arm. She had two broken fingers and defense wounds were prominent on the back of her hand and her forearm. His eyes reached her exposed clavicle, the hospital gown hanging loosely off her shoulders. It was black and deep purple with bruising, Andrew assumed it was broken. His eyes hesitantly travelled to her neck, where once again her skin was colored with dark bruises. A pit formed in his stomach as he realized the bruise formed the shape of a large hand. That awful man squeezed Monica's throat so tight that it left his print on her skin.

The moment had come to study her face. He had already had a preview and he hated what he saw, but he needed to see what had been done to her. He pursed his lips together and raised his eyes. He was immediately upset by her image, and had to bring a hand over his mouth to stifle a cry. Monica's left eye was swollen shut, three stitches sat underneath it on her cheek. The entire left side of her face was purple and black. The bridge of her nose was twice its normal size, the bruise faded from black to blue as it neared her right eye. Under her right eye was another bruise which reached across her cheek. Even her lips fell victim to some abuse, a small line of dried blood laying on the split in her swollen bottom lip.

What crushed Andrew even more than the horrid state of her beautiful face was Monica's lack of dark auburn locks. Her hair had been cropped extremely short, except on her right side above her ear where it was completely shaved. He counted twelve stitches in the gash on her head. As he stopped pinpointing specific areas, and began to take in her entire body, he realized Tess was right. The angel before him bore no resemblance to his sweet little friend. She had been stripped, robbed of herself. As the machines beeped round him, he focused on the mechanical sound of her forced breathing. It was odd for him to find comfort in the machine that was filling Monica's lungs with air, but something about the movement reassured him. Andrew pulled a chair from against the wall and sat next to Monica. Everything in him wanted to touch her, but she seemed too fragile as if one touch could break her. Instead, he began to speak low and soft into her ear.

"Hello beautiful angel. I'm here now, you aren't alone." Tears began filling his eyes. "You are so strong, Monica. You're going to be okay now. I love you so much, baby. Tess loves you. God loves you. We are all here and we are going to help you heal." Her right eye fluttered as he spoke, as if she was trying to wake up and greet him. "Shhh, baby. Rest now, Monica. I promise I will be here when you wake up." He sat as close as he could get to her, spending the rest of the night and most of the morning speaking loving words into her ear. Andrew reminded her of her favorite assignments, told stories of their friendship, talked about different dogs, he tried anything that was light and happy to keep her soul at peace. He hadn't realized the passage time until Tess and Monica's doctor entered the room.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Her vital signs have remained stable through the night." The doctor was telling Tess. Andrew watched as the two women walked to the opposite side of Monica. In his angelic form, he remained unnoticed by the doctor, and only received a couple acknowledging glances from Tess.

"I sense a 'but' coming." Tess stated. A shadow of sadness appeared on the doctor's face and she let out a soft sigh. "But, she's still not out of the clear. She's fighting, but her injuries could still cause problems in her recovery." Andrew instinctively placed a protective hand on Monica's forearm.

"Did anyone tell you the extent of what we found last night?" Tess shook her head at the Doctor's question. She had been told little about the damage done to Monica's body and she feared what the doctor was going to tell her. "We can go into a different room and talk if you'd like." She knew the doctor was trying to put her at ease, but when she glanced at Andrew she knew that they needed to stay. Her angel boy needed to hear this as well, and God knew that Tess would not be able to tell him.

"No, I'd rather stay in here, close to her."

"I understand." The doctor reached for Monica's chart and motioned for Tess to take a seat. Tess obliged, sitting in the vacant chair against the wall. Andrew's thumb gently caressed Monica's skin anxiously awaiting to hear about her condition. "Well, Tess, it says that last night she was treated for the head wound, and today they are going to scan her for any swelling on her brain….."

Andrew's head spun as he listened to the extent of damage Monica's human form was suffering from. It seemed as if the little angel's list of broken bones was endless; nose, clavicle, five ribs, her right hip, arm, leg, fingers. It was hard enough to imagine her with one excruciating pain, the thought that there wasn't one area on her body unharmed made him break. He didn't understand why God didn't take her from her human form, saving her from the physical agony that plagued her earth-bound body. He stared at her face, the doctor's endless list of injuries eating away at his soul.

"Tess," he whispered, still staring at Monica. The other angel raised her sad dark eyes to Andrew, then let her gaze shift to the focal point of vision. "Why did this happen?" He knew she couldn't answer, not only was the doctor still talking, but Tess was just as baffled and upset as he was. Andrew turned to look at Tess with tears cascading down his cheek. " Actually I don't need to know why it happened, I just want to know why it had to happen to Monica." Watching him break down was hard for Tess. She wanted to comfort him, but she felt too fragile to do so. They were both emotionally devastated and perturbed, unable to see past their distress.

Tess and the doctor talked about Monica's plan for recovery. Andrew caught that they would take her out of her induced coma in the next few days, the thought of seeing her big brown eyes made him happy for a split second before he imagined the pain that would cloud them. Most of what the doctor was saying was becoming background noise as he lost himself in his thoughts. As he stared at his sweet little friend's battered face, an idea popped into his head. There was a chance that it wouldn't be possible, but he knew he had to at least ask. He decided to run the idea passed Tess the next time they got a moment to talk.

He waited patiently, half listening to the conversation between Tess and the doctor. They were discussing what Monica would need after she left the hospital, when a statement was made that shocked Andrew. He wasn't entirely sure he had heard the little comment correctly.

"I know that I don't need to tell you all of that, a mother always does what is best for her child." The doctor had simply stated. Tess's reply was equally as strange, nothing but a smile and nod. After that the doctor left, saying she would be back soon to check on Monica. Andrew figured that the expression on his face was ridiculous if it elicited Tess's immediate explanation.

"I was given the papers this morning. They all state that I am Monica's mother." Andrew still looked confused. "They only allow family in the ICU." It made more sense now. Tess was now free to be with Monica without any problems and she could make medical decisions regarding their friend's human form.

"I think Monica will like that a lot." Andrew smiled, putting Tess at ease. "You are like a mother to her, it makes perfect sense." Tess gently stroked the top of Monica's head.

"I love her so much." She said more to herself than to Andrew.

"I know, I do too Tess." He reached out to put a hand on Tess's extended arm. "Tess, do you think the Father would let me watch over her?" His voice was full of hope.

"Do you mean as an official guardian angel?" He nodded, eyes fixed on Monica. "I don't know, baby. You can ask." Andrew squeezed Tess's arm, offering a small thankful smile. He kissed the top of Monica's head and told Tess he would be back soon then left to have a conversation with God.


End file.
